Archaic Fire Attunements

By William J. Keith

These Attunements are intended to be used in a game set either pre-Fall or
at least somewhat before Gabriel's self-imposed exile from Heaven and
concomitant descent into apparent madness. (The parts in parentheses are
meant to reflect how the Archangel of Fire and the Messenger of God might
have used his Servitors when fully focused.)

Seraphim: By touching fire or live coal to a willing subject's flesh, a
Seraph of Fire could for a number of hours equal to the Essence spent grant
the subject a bonus equal to the Seraph's Ethereal Forces, for Detect Lies,
resistance to a Balseraphic resonance, or any roll to see through
deception. (The Seraphim were rarely tasked with message delivery, but
when they were, their special task often was to bear messages to prophets
from Heaven -- and back!)

Cherubim: A Cherub of Fire could attune to a message, whether recorded, or
simply spoken in his presence. For a number of days thereafter equal to
his Celestial Forces, the Cherub could tell at a glance who knew this
information. If everyone, including the Cherub, lost or forgot the
message, the Cherub would take Dissonance. (Cherubim did not bear messages,
but instead protected messages and messengers.)

Ofanim: Using his resonance for area knowledge, an Ofanite serving Fire
could also detect flows of energy in that area -- heat sources, power
lines, sunlight, a rushing river -- with a resolution indicated by the
check digit. Only larger sources are noted; body heat is too dim to sense
with this ability. (Ofanim bore messages of the utmost urgency, using
their resonance to speed their information across the Earth.)

Elohim: On a successful resonance roll, Gabriel's Powers would know the one
circumstance or object that would provoke the most intense passion in the
subject, and what emotion that would be. (Elohim were best able to bring
messages of great tragedy or sadness -- both in the delivery, and in
withstanding their burden.)

Malakim: This Attunement has not changed. (Gabriel's Malakim brought
messages of fire into the darkness. They came to sinners demanding
repentance, and to demons bearing hot warnings.)

Bright Lilim: A Bright Lilim could see what a subject needed (not
necessarily punishment) to bring them to feel repentance and absolution for
what the subject felt was their greatest sin. (There were too few Bright
Lilim of Fire to establish a pattern in their use. There was a slight
tendency to use them to bring messages of mercy.)

Kyriotates: A reflection of the Cherub of Fire ability, Fire's Kyriotates
could hear information and roll against Perception to know the path --
physical route and identity of messengers -- that message had taken for the
past (Celestial Forces) days. (Kyriotates most often bore messages --
sometimes simultaneously -- to diverse groups of people, such as the
leaders of two warring tribes.)

Mercurians: The Friends of Man serving Fire were superb teachers. In front
of a class or a single student, they could resonate to find a close
relation between the subject of study, and the student's lives. In game
terms, in addition to occasionally being a useful personality insight,
halve the time to learn any skill the angel teaches. (Gabriel's Mercurians
were often sent to bear joyous news.)

Grigori: The Grigori who so briefly worked for Fire could use flame to
focus their senses -- concentrating on the flicker a fire at least the size
of their palm, they could deduce the last Disturbance made in an area, and
possibly information about it as well. In game terms, they would
automatically detect the last Disturbance they could have heard at that
spot; roll anyway for CD (GURPS, degree of success). (Grigori bore
messages in Role, working when it was deemed necessary to conceal the
information's Divine provenance.)